A public works is anything built by a government for public use, highways and bridges, for example. The oldest public works yet discovered on earth were the walls surrounding the ancient city of Jericho.
Jericho lies about five miles from the Dead Sea. Today, the site of the ancient city of Jericho is a mud mound that has been only partly dug up by archaeologists. Under that mound lies a series of cities, one built on top of another.
The oldest city on this site is thought to date from perhaps as long ago as 7000 B.C., making Jericho one of the oldest cities on earth. The walls that surrounded the city were built of stone without cement of any kind. They stood 20 feet high.
These are not the walls of Jericho that, according to the Bible, fell when Josua and the Israelites attacked the city. This attack must have taken place sometime around the year 1300 B.C.
By that time, the city of Jericho was more than 5,500 years old! Some archaeologists believe that Jericho was already in ruins by Josua’s time.
Related Posts
-
Where did the expression “gone to Jericho” come from and What does it mean?
According to the. Bible (II Samuel x), Hanun, to whom David had sent his servants as a mark of respect for Hanun's father, who had just died, was persuaded that they were actually…
-
How do the Suction Cups on Lizards’ Feet Work when they Climb Walls and Ceilings?
The lizards that climb walls and ceilings don't tend to fall off. But it's not because they have great suction, as a matter of fact, they're not really using suction at all. Here's…
-
Where Does Black Mold Come From and What Is the Best Way To Remove Black Mold That Grows On Damp Walls?
The infamous black mold is the fungus Aspergillus niger. The reason it seems so difficult to eradicate is that the visible black manifestation is merely the exposed structure of the fungus, which is…
-
How Were Asgard’s Walls Built In Norse Mythology and Why Was the Wall Surrounding Asgard Incomplete?
After the magnificent halls of Asgard were complete, a mysterious stranger offered to surround Asgard with a stone wall to protect the gods against their enemies. The man claimed to be a great…
-
Why are Left Handers Forbidden to Play Jai Alai and How Many Walls are there in Jai Alai?
Left handers can play jai alai as long as they're willing to use their right hands. The rules and traditions specifically forbid playing left-handed. The reason is that the court has only three…
-
How do mountain climbers scale sheer rock walls using specific techniques?
Tools help, as do various specific techniques, but rock climbers depend mostly on sound judgment, careful analysis, and astonishing nerve. The physical mechanics of rock climbing involve not only the feet, knees, hands,…
